I am getting close to assembling a few white oak end tables, and was contemplating staining them (pigment stain or Danish oil) prior to assembly, ala:
- Dye/Stain > Glue > Topcoat.
In the past I've found it possible but a PITA to stain an assembled piece without getting darker stain buildup in joints. These tables have about 20 pieces, ~30 Domino joints per table.
It seems like a pigment stain would not affect the glue adhesion much, and I wouldn't intentionally be staining the end grain side of each joint. Perhaps the Danish oil would be problematic.
I am trying to keep the finishing schedule as simple as possible.